About

The International Black Women’s Film Festival was established in 2001 by Adrienne Anderson, a San Francisco Bay Area-resident and San Francisco-native. The first festival was presented in 2002 in San Francisco, CA. Though an academic and collaborative technology trainer by profession, Ms. Anderson is a writer and has worked as a journalist, writer and cultural activist.

She decided to create a festival where the accomplishments, talents, creativity and filmmaking skills of Black women could be celebrated, featured and fairly represented. Looking beyond the usual Hollywood-style stereotypes of Black women, she introduced new and innovate cinema, primarily directed by Black women and/or featuring Black women in non-stereotypical roles.

To date, the festival has received over 400 entries and has garnered international attention around the world from the Netherlands, Germany, Paris, Ghana, Canada and Australia! The festival has also received personal support and sponsorship from STAR WARS director and creator George Lucas and his former media company LucasFilms, Ltd.

The festival brings original, exciting, and innovative cinema featuring Black women in prominent roles and lets them present their own stories in their own voices.

The International Black Women’s Film Festival is now called Black Laurel Films.

After 15 years of producing and programming the festival, a decision was made to rebrand the festival and to change the name, but not the goal.

The International Black Women’s Film Festival is now called Black Laurel Films.